North Indian Inscriptions

UDAYENDIRAM PLATES OF VIKRAMADITYA II.

......These are two odd copper-plates, marked on their first sides with the Tamil numerals 2 and 5, and inscribed on both sides. Each plate measures about 9⅞” broad by 2½” high, and has on the proper right a ring-hole, about 5/16” in diameter. There is neither a ring nor a seal, and the plates are now tied together with a string. The engraving, though not very regular, is done fairly well, and the writing, with one or two insignificant exceptions, is well preserved.— The size of the letters is between 3/16” and 5/16”. The characters are Grantha. The language is Sanskṛit ; and the text on both plates is in verse. In respect of orthography I need only notice the doubling of a consonant before y and v in vibhûttyai, plate ii. line 1, Garuḍaddhvajê, plate ii. line 9, and maddhyamê, plate v. line 11. As regards the language, the most noteworthy point is that the author in line 1 of plate ii. undoubtedly wrote trai, instead of trayî which does not suit the metre.

......The inscription, as we have it, is part of a grant of “the lord of princes” Vîra-Chôḷa. Plate ii. treats of the mythical genealogy of the Chôḷa family, the beings actually mentioned being the god Brahman, his son Marîchi, his son Kâśyapa, his son the Sun, his son Manu, his son Ikshvâku,¹ his descendant (separated from Ikshvâku by many generations) Sagara, his descendant Bhagîratha, and Raghu. Plate v. records that, when the lord of princes (or king) Vîra-Chôḷa was ruling the earth, his spiritual guide Nîla advised him to make a grant in favour of some Brâhmaṇs ; that Vîra-Chôḷa them went to the Chôḷa ruler Parakêśarivarman and asked leave to bestow on the Brâhmaṇs a village in his own territory which he promised to name after Parakêśarivarman ; and that, having got the necessary permission, he gave the village of Parakêśarichaturvêdimaṅgala, situated between the river Kâvêrî and another, small river, to a hundred and fifty (Brâhmaṇs).

......I cannot say anything definite about the Chôḷa ruler Parakêsarîvarman and the subordinate prince Vîra-Chôḷa,² mentioned in this inscription ; nor am I able identify the village of Parakêsaraichaturvêdimaṅgala.

TEXT.³

Second Plate ; First Side.

1 bhavatâm⁴ bhavatât(d=) vibhûttyai trayî-sâra-vastu⁵ chaturânana-
2 m=âdi-têjaḥ || ⁶Vidhâtus=tasya ptro=bhût(n)=Marîchi[r*]=mmâna-
3 sô mahân [|*] Mari(rî)chêś=cha tanûjô=bhût Kâśyap-â-
4 khyô mahâmuni[ḥ*] || Kâśyapasya munêr=âsîd=âtma-
5 jô bhânumân=Ravir⁷=vviśvêshâñ=cha⁸ lôkânâm=andha-
6 kâr-âpanôda-kṛit || Vêda-vêdâṁga-tat[t*]vajñô Vi-
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......¹ From Brahman to Ikshvâku the genealogy agrees with the one given in the Kaliṅgattu-Paraṇi ; Ind. Ant. Vol. XIX. p. 330. Compare also the genealogies in the large Leyden grant (Dr. Burgess’ Arch. Survey of Southern India, Vol. IV. p. 216) and in the Vikkirama-Śôlan-Ulâ (Ind. Ant. Vol. XXII. p. 147).
......² [On page 71 above, reference is made to a chief, named Vîra-Chôḷa, who was the father of Vîra-Champa (Śaka-Saṁvat 1236). The Pañcha-Pâṇḍava-Malai rock-inscription (ante, p. 75, note 1) records a gift by an earlier Vîra-Chôḷa, who was the son of the lord (uḍaiyâr) Lâṭarâja Pugalvippavar-Gaṇḍa. This Vîra-Chôḷa appears to have been a local chief, who was not related to the Chôḷa family at all, but on whom the name Vîra-Chôḷa was bestowed with reference to the ruling dynasty. Similarly, the Vîra-Chôḷa of this Udayêndiram fragment need not necessarily have been a Chôḷa, and the genealogy on the first plate of the grant may have been that of sovereign, the Chôḷa king Parakêśarivarman. The latter cannot be identified, as we know from inscriptions that the surname Parakêśarivarman was borne by several Chôḷa kings.― E. H.]
......³ From an impression received from Dr. Hultzsch.
......⁴ Metre : Vasantatilakâ.
......⁵ Originally traisâra- was engraved, as required by the metre ; afterwards the ai of trai has been struck out, and yî has been inserted below the line, between the aksharas tra (for trai) and sâ.
......⁶ Metre : Ślôka (Anushṭubh) ; and of all the following verses.
......⁷ Read °viḥ | viśvê.°
......⁸ Here one syllable is missing, and the particle cha yields no sense. Probably the intended reading is viśvêshâm=êva.